In 2025, Turkey Continues to Reform Its Customs Legislation

Chukavin Pavel · 2025-07-21

In 2025, Turkey continues to reform its customs legislation to align with international standards and support foreign economic activity (FEA). These changes impact both local companies and foreign partners, including Russian firms active in the Turkish market.

Key Changes:

As of January 2025, the minimum tariff for customs brokers has risen by 35% (Decision No. 8053, Official Gazette, December 25, 2024). This raises costs for importers and exporters but aims to enhance broker professionalism.

New rules allow payments in foreign currencies (e.g., U.S. dollars or euros) for the sale of movable property under customs procedures. This facilitates operations for international companies but requires strict compliance with Central Bank of Turkey regulations.

New digital platforms integrated with E-Devlet streamline declaration submissions, but companies must adopt electronic document management systems.

From May 2025, products from China, Hong Kong, and Macau lose duty-free treatment under the U.S. de minimis rule, indirectly affecting Turkish exporters using these markets as transit hubs. This impacts Russia-Turkey firms working with Asian suppliers.

Practical Implications:

For Russia-Turkey companies, higher broker fees will increase import and export costs, particularly for small businesses.

Recommendations:

• Review contracts with customs brokers and budget for increased fees.
• Upgrade systems to integrate with digital customs platforms like E-Devlet.
• Audit supply chains to mitigate risks from new U.S. tariffs.

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